Halo: Reach got the first DLC for the recently released title on November 30. The Noble Map Pack included three new maps and new Achievements worth an extra 250 Gamescore points. It costed 800 Microsoft Points, or $10.
Turns out that Tempest become my favorite map in the pack very quick. The map is very well designed and has several man cannons to travel you distances quickly. Because of the man cannons, well placed bases and huge area that combat battles can happen in the map is almost perfect for every game type available on it. I like playing Snipers or BTB on Tempest and it has never been dull.
Tempest – “Though we may never fully understand these devices, it is not our nature to leave ancient stones unturned.” This abandoned shoreline facility bends both sea and sky to an unnatural purpose, but the ground itself has quickly become another all too familiar battlefield. Though the two opposing symmetrical bases may never reveal their ancient purpose, both now offer makeshift shelter and access to strategic routes perfectly suited for small and large scale skirmishes alike. Tempest supports 8 – 16 players and offers a variety of modes including Free for All, Team Slayer, Team Objective and Big Team Battle. Tempest also provides players with a huge Forge palette, allowing them to create new custom map variants that can be shared with the community-at-large.
Anchor 9 was the map that really sold me on buying this DLC. I was initially going to pass because the first DLC for Halo 3 was terrible and I was not going to waste another 800 points for nothing. I seen the combat previewed on this map and was sold. Unfortunately, it’s one of those maps that are really great, but is ruined by the way people tend to play it. There is a space on the edge of the map that you can fight in zero G and there are also weapon spawns there on certain game types. Turns out that all this talk of Anchor 9 giving you the same feeling of The Pit is just not true. Most people stay out in the zero G section of the map or stay behind the shield door for cheap kills and what started as a decent strategy turns out to ruin the map.
Breakpoint is a great map for BTB or Invasion. Tons of vehicles and great places to have any kind of fight that you want to have on the map. Breakpoint was the map in this pack that I really did not care about. After playing it I realize that it’s a really great map that is also fun with lots of game types. The map is a full circle that is separated by the rock spine over a deadly drop of going up the center. great places to snipe and great places to drive and everything in between.
The extra 250G from the new achievements are all MP earned. The good thing about them is that they can be earned on any multiplayer map. If you have a good team and are a decent player they should all be pretty simple to come by. Things like a Double Kill with a shotgun and get a double Kill death from the grave. All in all I would recommend picking up the Noble Map Pack if you are a fan of Reach and tend to play MP often.
